Favourite Double Albums

[rab2591]

There is no good double album that couldn't be made better when cut down to a single LP or disc or whatever medium you like.

I will counter your opinion with my opinion that the White Album would have been better as a triple LP, adding Sour Milk Sea, Child of Nature, What's the New Mary Jane, Not Guilty etc...

Yeah......I can't see Blonde On Blonde being any better with songs taken off of it....just my opinion.

[donald]

Tommy was mentioned.  I'll second that.   As for Floyd I'd pick Umma Guma over The Wall.  Grateful Dead Europe 72..although I think that was a triple lp....

And I'll also second 4-Way St. and CTA.

I can't think of anything less than 35 years old.  'Cept maybe 10 Years of Harmony.  That was a real treat when it came out.

Back in the day, those double albums were quite the investment!

[Mike's Beard]

I think the worst double album I've ever heard has to be "Stadium Arcadium" by the Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Seeing as they havn't been able to deliver a good single album in years, it was no suprise that this was the pits.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Agreed!!! But aren't pretty much ALL albums 2000 onward that are pressed on vinyl basically double albums in order to fit the whole 80+ minutes of CD time (and lack of artist restraint) into one package?

All of Bob Dylan's albums "Time Out Of Mine" onward have been "double" albums, while still not REALLY being double albums, if that makes any sense. "Together Through Life" has, like 3 songs per vinyl side with really big grooves.... Also, Radiohead put out "Hail To The Thief" on a double format but at 45rpms! They also put "Kid A" and "Amnesiac" out on double 10inches!!!! Don't know if any of these count as real true double albums!

So, I screwed up listing Lumpy Gravy, so...... scratch that and toss in "Tago Mago" by Can

And how dare we forget "Sign Of The Times" or "1999" by Prince!

Or "New Adventures In High-Fi" by REM! ("UP" by REM, being one of the worst  )

[Aum Bop Diddit]

I 'm surprised no one's mentioned "Exile on Main Street" or "Layla" yet (Stones/Derek and the Dominoes).  Along with the aforementioned "Quadraphenia," "Basement Tapes," "Something/Anything?", "Electric Ladyland", and "All Things Must Pass", I'll offer these constitute the artists' best work. (Arguably of course.)

[Mike's Beard]

As much as I love "Exile" there are 4 or so songs in the last third of the album that could have been removed to make it a soild single player.

[Seaside Woman]

The Beatles. White Album

Stevie Wonder. Songs in the Key of Life

Elton John. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road


All three were LP's that were embraced and played loving by all who owned them and they were never off the radio for years thereafter. I bought them on vinyl at original release and then again on CD.

[Mike's Beard]

Is early Elton John worth checking out? He now seems to be annoying tabloid fodder, but I take it he was once a true talent. Any pointers?

[Seaside Woman]

I think the thing with Elton is, he has become a caricature.

His back catalogue is so prolific and diverse, you could dip in anywhere and find something, even his lesser albums are notable.

GYBR was his most commercial to that date and it really hit a stratospheric mark.  It's was one of those albums that everyone had in their collection and it wasn't unusual to see people carrying it around under their arm on the way to a friends house.  It's difficult in retrospect to describe how huge this album was or even the hype that surrounded it.  

Go somewhere like Spotify and immerse yourself.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I'd say, start at the beginning with Elton and keep up if you can. His stylistic progression is pure awesomeness to behold and yeah, even the lesser albums will somehow become your faves.

[bgas]

Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys  - For The Last Time    Hard to beat- witha great cast

Solo Flight-- The Genius Of Charlie Christian     How he could play! 

and , yeah, The First Chicago Transit double...  wore that one down to nothing...

[MBE]

Ok not counting historical reissues
Elvis-From Memphis To Vegas 1969
Jerry Lee Lewis-The Session 1973
Beach Boys In Concert 1973
BWPS-2004
Dylan-Blonde On Blonde-1966
Dylan-Modern Times (it is on vinyl a 2 LP set)-2005
Dylan-Love and Theft (Ditto)-2001
Dylan Time Out Of Mind (ditto)-1997
Beatles White Album-1968
Rolling Stones -Exile 1972
The Who-Tommy 1969
Ike and Tina-Fesitval Of Live Performances-1973
Ike and Tina-Live In Paris-1971
James Brown Apollo 3-1971
James Brown Apollo 2-1968
James Brown-Get On The Good Foot-1972
James Brown-Payback-1974
James Brown Hell-1974
Jacksons Live-1981
First Edition-Ballad Of Calico-1972

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Oh man, how can we forget Odessa by The Brothers Gibb???

[RollPlymouthRock]

Trout Mask Replica 

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Freedom Suite: The Rascals!!!

[Mike's Beard]

Trout Mask Replica 

As much as I love it I find it impossible to sit through the entire thing from beginning to end in one go!

[RollPlymouthRock]

Trout Mask Replica 

As much as I love it I find it impossible to sit through the entire thing from beginning to end in one go!

Yeah i know! Did you like the album the first time you listened to it?

[Mike's Beard]

I never disliked it but it had to grow on me somewhat. I keep meaning to get some more Beefheart stuff, but alas, so many groups, somewhat less money!

[RollPlymouthRock]

I never disliked it but it had to grow on me somewhat. I keep meaning to get some more Beefheart stuff, but alas, so many groups, somewhat less money!

I'd probably go for Safe as Milk or Lick My Decals Off, Baby, they're his best albums besides TMR.

[A Million Units In Jan!]

All time favorite double albums:

3. The Beatles
2. The Wall
1. Mellon Chollie and the Infinite Sadness

Hands down. The. Best.

Is Melon Chollie only a double album? I've never seen the vinyl for it. I'd have thought since it's a double cd, it'd be about a triple album.

[Mike's Beard]

Good point. When I bought it many moons ago on cassette, it was only two tapes. Dunno about vinyl.

[the captain]

Trout Mask Replica 

As much as I love it I find it impossible to sit through the entire thing from beginning to end in one go!

Yeah i know! Did you like the album the first time you listened to it?

I honestly never found it anywhere near as difficult as writers seem to want to make it. It's crazy, all over the map, if you try to figure out parts and organize it in theoretical terms. But I've always found it to be--and I mean this, always, since first listen--extremely accessible as a listening experience. It didn't sound like anything else I had heard, but it wasn't unpleasant by any means.

[pixletwin]

All time favorite double albums:

3. The Beatles
2. The Wall
1. Mellon Chollie and the Infinite Sadness

Hands down. The. Best.

Is Melon Chollie only a double album? I've never seen the vinyl for it. I'd have thought since it's a double cd, it'd be about a triple album.

Since the album is cut into two sections (Dawn to Dusk/Twighlight to Starlight) with each section comprising 14 songs. That would be 7 songs to a side on the vinyl. So I believe it would still be a double album. But I believe the official vinyl release was stacked up as follows:

Dawn
1. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
2. Tonight, Tonight
3. Thirty Three
4. In the Arms of Sleep
5. Take Me Down
Tea Time
1. Jellybelly
2. Bodies
3. To Forgive
4. Here is No Why
5. Porcelina of the Vast Oceans
Dusk
1. Bullet with Butterfly Wings
2. Thru the Eyes of Ruby
3. Muzzle
4. Galapogos
5. Tales of a Scorched Earth
Twilight
1. 1979
2. Beautiful
3. Cupid de Locke
4. By Starlight
5. We Only Come Out at Night
Midnight
1. Where Boys Fear to Tread
2. Zero
3. An Ode to No One
4. Love
5. X.Y.U.
Starlight
1. Stumbleine
2. Lily(My One and Only)
3. Tonite Reprise
4. Farewell and Goodnight
5. Infinite Sadness

So on vinyl it was altered to be presented as 3 pieces. I still consider it a double album though since that's how it is presented in every other format.

[punkinhead]

Ok not counting historical reissues
Elvis-From Memphis To Vegas 1969
Jerry Lee Lewis-The Session 1973
Beach Boys In Concert 1973
BWPS-2004
Dylan-Blonde On Blonde-1966
Dylan-Modern Times (it is on vinyl a 2 LP set)-2005
Dylan-Love and Theft (Ditto)-2001
Dylan Time Out Of Mind (ditto)-1997
Beatles White Album-1968
Rolling Stones -Exile 1972
The Who-Tommy 1969
Ike and Tina-Fesitval Of Live Performances-1973
Ike and Tina-Live In Paris-1971
James Brown Apollo 3-1971
James Brown Apollo 2-1968
James Brown-Get On The Good Foot-1972
James Brown-Payback-1974
James Brown Hell-1974
Jacksons Live-1981
First Edition-Ballad Of Calico-1972

How could I forget Modern times?!?!
it's so good, I have it on vinyl as well.
When the Deal goes Down is by far the best song on the album

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

No love for Together Through Life???

Oh no! Is Dylan entering another post-motorcycle accident type phase?

Could get interesting